Tag Archives: tile app

Welcome to Mozy’s App Profile, where we introduce new programs seeking to improve the way we live and socialize. This week, Mozy takes a look at Tile, an app that aims to make sure you never lose anything ever again.

For many people, finding misplaced keys and wallets consumes far too much time in one’s day. In addition to it being an annoyance, losing integral personal possessions can also be extremely stressful.

“The problem of losing things has been around forever, and we felt like many people have tried to solve this without ever really being that successful,” said Nick Evans, founder and CEO of Tile. “When Bluetooth Low Energy support was released on iOS devices, we started thinking about how we could properly solve the problem [with this technology]. We invented Tile to make people’s lives easier.”

Users purchase small plastic tags — “tiles” — and attach them to anything they anticipate needing to find, whether it’s keys, wallets, remotes, or anything else. Each Tile pairs up with the accompanying iOS app, allowing users to view the location of each of his/her items on a map. Using the Tile app, one can identify the location of each misplaced item when it is within Bluetooth range (between 50-150 feet) and the last place your item was connected to the app.

For instance, if a user forgets his/her wallet at a cafe, the user can set an alarm sound on the Tile—making the lost item easy to find (if it is within Bluetooth range).

But Tile isn’t just for finding misplaced items inside your house or at a favorite coffee spot.

“One of the reasons why we used Bluetooth Low Energy for Tile, is that it allows for this sense of a Tile community,” said Evans. “The technology is able to leverage the Bluetooth connectivity of everyone in the Tile community to help you find lost items.”

If a user marks an item as “lost” on the app, other Tile users will receive an alert if your lost item is in their direct vicinity. So if someone were to steal your bike, for instance, the Tile community might be able to help you retrieve it better than the usual “missing” poster.

This sense of community also extends into how Tile was able to get up and running. Evans was able to raise $2.68 million—from almost 50,000 backers—through a crowd-funding campaign.

Some key Tile features include:

Never need to change or recharge a battery

Lasts for one year but the company will provide a new, free Tile (when you send in the old one)

Users can privately share Tiles with friends and family as well as find your Tiles with a friends phone by signing into your Tile account on their phone

Tile is looking to debut its app in either Winter 2013 or early 2014. Each Tile retails for $18.95 (with discounts depending on how many tiles one purchases).

You can learn more about the Tile app and pre-order tiles on its website.